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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24646549">The Fireplace</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dyslexic0writes/pseuds/Dyslexic0writes'>Dyslexic0writes</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Justice League - All Media Types, Shazam! | Captain Marvel (Comics)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>AU?...maybe, Billy Batson Needs a Hug, Dissociation, Gen, Homeless Billy Batson, Homelessness, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Psychologist Dinah Lance, im not a psychologist</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 02:41:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,120</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24646549</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dyslexic0writes/pseuds/Dyslexic0writes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It was so comforting the thought of the fireplace, its warm lul soothing him as the fire quietly cracked and popped. Flames dance around the wood gracefully, Billy wrapped up in the red blanket his mother knit for him. Safe. Carefree. With his tiger there to keep him company tucked in his arms soft and secure.</p><p>What’s happening?<br/>...<br/>Where am i?<br/>...<br/>What time is it?<br/>…<br/>How long have I been thinking about the fireplace?<br/></p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Billy Batson &amp; Justice League, Captain Marvel &amp; Black Canary, captain marvel &amp; Dinah lance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>279</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Fireplace</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>!!!!WARNING!!!!<br/>trigger warning for dissociation<br/>im not a psychologist or anything I just love storys with psychology incorporated everything written is based off of what ive learned online feel free to educate me if I've got stuff wrong</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Captain marvel may have the courage of Achilles but with how weak his mortal form was at the moment and his constant struggle to at minimum have one meal a day, not to mention the overwhelming emotions crossing over to the demigods form the courage of Achilles was dwindling considerably fast.</p><p>As captain marvel sat in one of the stiff leather office chairs in one of the watchtowers many meeting rooms he watched an extremely frustrated Superman pace back and forth in frustration he couldn't help but shift uncomfortably as he tried to stay calm.</p><p>Seeing how much Superman, one of his teammates, and someone he saw as a mentor rant at him about his performance on the mission that day was very unsettling. Marvel's posture was stiff with slite guilty shifts each time the kryptonian glanced at him while ranting. </p><p>The team was honestly speechless at Superman's anger and they all just sat and listened. Most of the complaints were aimed at Captain Marvel and although he had made a rookie mistake it had been resolved and wasn't as bad as Superman was making it out to be. Each attempt to defend marvel was shut down and most just stayed quiet looking at Captain with sympathetic looks waiting for the kryptonian to calm down enough to see reason.</p><p>Cap expected this from Batman, honestly anyone else but the picture of his biggest idol getting as angry as some of his past foster parents was making him feel extremely fearful. He felt like he couldn’t breathe. He honestly wanted to cry but kept a neutral face not wanting any of the other members of the Justice League to see him so weak but subconsciously he could feel himself sinking into himself the more superman ranted. </p><p>There were quite a few members in the room besides Captain Marvel and Superman; they all took part in the disastrous mission that day including Batman, Black Canary, the Flash, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter. Although superman specifically had a bone to pick with Marvel.</p><p>The guy was his idol, seeing him so frustrated was unnerving. Especially since he wasn’t known for his temper. The longer he sat there listening to superman get louder and louder in frustration the more he felt the shift from being in the moment to almost feeling outside his body. Like he wasn’t there but just watching, it was scary but nice in the sense he felt his anxiety decrease in all honesty he felt numb racking his mind but being unable to tell what was going on. His mind was drifting elsewhere and he couldn't help but picture the warm fireplace he used to sit by when his parents were alive, the warm feeling of the fireplace and the safety of the knit blanket his mom made for him along with the precious stuffed tiger he still has to this day. </p><p>His mind always seemed to drift there whenever he felt unsafe like his body went on autopilot while his brain took a break. He couldn’t really control it, it often got him in trouble and when he finally was back in control it was accompanied by pain. Like the time he ran away for good, he was eight at the time and his foster parents were so furious when he accidentally dropped the mug he was holding. One moment they were yelling then it was all a blur when he came back to he was locked in his room with a broken arm. Realizing he couldn’t protect himself from the adults if his mind kept drifting like that he ran. </p><p>It was so comforting the thought of the fireplace, its warm lul soothing him as the fire quietly cracked and popped. Flames dance around the wood gracefully, Billy wrapped up in the red blanket his mother knit for him. Safe. Carefree. With his tiger there to keep him company tucked in his arms soft and secure.</p><p>What’s happening?<br/>
...<br/>
Where am i?<br/>
...<br/>
What time is it?<br/>
…</p><p>How long have I been thinking about the fireplace?<br/>
…</p><p>The team could tell something was instantly off when Marvel suddenly changed composure completely, at first he was nervous with an indifferent look on his face but it suddenly changed to a completely blank expression. He was considerably paler and his eyes appeared glazed over looking spaced out with a rigid stiff composure.</p><p>Superman was still going on about the mission not noticing until Batman got up from his seat to set a hand on the kryptonians shoulder effectively shutting him up. Then the bat was instantly by Cap's side resting a hand on Marvels shoulder and talking to him softly with his deep voice to see if he’d respond but he just sat there stiff with a far off look in his eyes unmoving taking very shallow breaths. </p><p>“Captain marvel can you hear me?” he asked patiently not getting a response, he tried again “What's wrong? Can you hear me?” he asked worriedly, not that anyone could tell the man was practically unreadable unless you were a member of the batclan.</p><p>“Hmm” Batman thought for a moment with uncertainty he'd never seen this in Cap before it was obviously something in his head which surprised him. He wasn’t sure if Cap was a god or a normal guy; it left so many possibilities for what could be happening so he turned to the psychic of the group.</p><p>“Manhunter, can you enter his mind at all to snap him out of it?”</p><p>“I'll see what I can do my friend though I recall Marvel having quite a strong resistance to my psychic touch.” The martian spoke getting up and walking over to set his hands on marvels temples, after a bit of struggle he was in. Where he expected something dark and sinister he was met with a warm fireplace in a cozy looking room but before he could even attempt to find the Captain he was shoved out quickly. He opened his eyes with a sigh knowing he wouldn't be able to get back in. </p><p>“What did you see?” Batman asked in his same gruff voice.</p><p>“Just a room with a fireplace it was strangely calming, although I got forced out of his head before I could look for him. It was odd the room was extremely relaxing although with the way I was forced out I'd say he's anything but relaxed.” The martian sighed, returning to his seat letting the others mull over the information. </p><p>“Cyborg you're semi close to captain, have you ever seen this happen before?” Batman asks with a tinge of worry pinched into his voice. </p><p>“I uhh no I haven’t.” Cyborg was at a loss; he talked to Cap often but the man never opened up about his personal life whatsoever so he was as clueless as the rest.</p><p>“Maybe it's magic? Like a trance or something?” Barry suggested.</p><p>Black canary stood “I think he may be dissociating or something Manhunter said it was a comforting environment but there was an underlying anxiety to it. I'm not particularly certain but my best guess is that with Superman ranting Captain got so anxious his mind decided to send him to where he felt safe. I was originally thinking a panic attack but this is different he looks pretty spaced out and his breathings very shallow.” The psychologist piped up from the group of worried faces. </p><p>It wasn’t unbelievable everyone in the capes business had some form of trauma but they honestly wouldn’t expect it from someone so cheerful and carefree as Captain Marvel.</p><p>Yes, the guy wouldn’t open up about his secret identity but he was such a ray of sunshine it was hard to imagine anything but smiles and the occasional rare glum look from the man. Although it wasn’t completely unexpected he had been acting off for the past month. Batman had pestered Captain in hopes of him opening up but all that led to was marvel avoiding the man like he had the plague. </p><p>Black Canary ushered everyone out of the room keeping the doors closed so Captain couldn’t see anyone else. He was still sitting there breathing deeply when Dinah brought over a chair sitting directly across from him knees almost touching. They sat there for a while in silence when she started talking gently.</p><p>“Captain can you try and focus on me please? I need you to tell me my eye colour.” She stated sweetly, giving the man a task in hopes it would help ground him. Marvel seemed to snap out of it a bit blinking rapidly a couple of times but didn’t bring himself to say anything or even look her in the eyes. </p><p>“Thats alright how about my nails? What colours are they?” She asked, setting her recently done nails on her knees for him to take a look. </p><p>Marvel shifted uncomfortably before speaking just above a whisper. “b-black” He sounded frightened, uncertain and small which she’d never expected to hear from such a large powerful man. He sounded more like the frightened children she works with on a daily basis. </p><p>“Where are you right now?” She inquired, watching with intent at the man shifting uncomfortably noticing how he rubs his left foot with his right anxiously. </p><p>“I-im in um the um living room?” He spoke making it sound more like a question than a definite answer. Although his anxieties were prominent Dinah handled the situation with the same calm professional demeanour she did with any other case.  </p><p>"No Cap, you're not I need you to focus on your surroundings. Where are we." Dinah tried again her mind shuffling through all the different grounding techniques if he didn't get it the second time.</p><p>He blinked some more scrunching up his nose with eyebrows drawn together in concentration looking around a bit. "the uh w-watch um tower?"</p><p>Giving him a warm smile she continued although he was stuttering and paused with many ‘um’s’ he was responding which all together was a good sing. “Very good, now how about the date. What day is it?” She kept the questions relatively simple.</p><p>“Um… November uhh 9th?”</p><p>Still uncertain but not stuttering </p><p>“Perfect, hmm let me see how about... what's your favourite animal?” She had to admit her specialty was child psychology and asking Captain Marvel silly questions she used with children was a tad strange but he was taking well to it and Dinah honestly couldn't think of any other things to ask.</p><p>“I love tigers.” Marvel spoke softly with a little smile poking through, finally meeting her gaze as Dinah mentally high fived herself for getting the man to look up. </p><p>“Oh? Really? Tigers tell me more.” She smiled warmly, her inner voice nagging her about how Marvel reminds her too much of the kids she works with. Ultimately shoving down the thought because Captain Marvel is obviously an adult and his childlike demeanor is logically due to past trauma or to whatever had just happened. </p><p>Captain Marvel went on and on about tigers with facts and why he loves them so much. He spoke with fondness in his voice the more he talked the more he seemed to brighten up going from hugging himself to a more relaxed position. Telling Dinah about the tiger who lives in the fawcett zoo and how he visits often to see the tiger, leaving out the fact the tiger can talk not wanting her to pry into Caps life. </p><p>She ended the conversation asking if he wanted to see the others or just leave in silence, she slipped in a comment about how the rest of the team most likely would want to check on him to see if he's ok. But cap was honestly too tired and decided to leave in peace promising to be there tomorrow for monitor duty. </p><p>Black canary nodded giving him a bit of a sad look before walking to the door and peeking her head through, asking the rest of the team to leave the man alone when he goes to leave the watchtower. They do thankfully as Marvel enters the zeta tube keeping his eyes glued to the floor listing as the mechanical voice announced his departure. </p><p>And there he was in Fawcett letting out a shaky breath he didnt notice he was holding. As Cap stepped out of the zeta tube disguised as an old telephone booth glancing around before saying the wizards name, and walking back to the abandoned apartment he was currently calling home. He focused on nothing but the crisp breeze of the winter night and the crunch of the snow beneath him silently praying to the gods tomorrow wouldn't be too awkward.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thanks for reading my first ever fic I got really inspired by starkvengers Billy Batson storys and decided to write one </p><p>if you see any mistakes punctuating or grammar/spelling feel free to tell me I'm hella dyslexic so this took a real long time but I guess practice makes perfect</p></blockquote></div></div>
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